The Mayflower and its 99 passengers landed at Plymouth on Nov. 21, 1620. The Fortune arrived in November of 1621. The Anne and Little James followed in 1623, so that by 1624 there are about 180 persons in Plymouth.

The first mention made of Henry Howland in New England is in the allotment of cattle to the different families in Plymouth in 1624, he appears as the owner of the "black cow."

On the first page of Vol. I of the court records of New Plymouth, is found in a list of freemen, under date of 1633, the name of "Henery Howland".

According to William Howland in "The Howlands in America", all the Howlands in America can trace their ancestral lineage to the three sons of Henry and Margaret (Aires) Howland of Fen Stanton, Huntingdonshire, England. John Howland, who came to this country on the Mayflower in 1620. Henry and Arthur followed, it is believed they arrived together on the Anne in 1623 1.

Henry Howland left England in 1623, a Separatist bound for Plymouth Plantation. In Plymouth Plantation, his family and he eventually turned to the gentle faith of the Society of Friends. The families of Arthur and Henry Howland, were two Plymouth families most identified as practicing Quakers. The families ceased attending Plymouth religious services and allowed their homes for the conduct of Quaker meetings 1.

Henry resided for a while in Plymouth, but became an early settler in Duxbury "by the bayside, near Love Brewster." He was a surveyor of highways, and was able to bear arms in 1643. As a Quaker he suffered the persecutions of the times. On April 2, 1659 Henry with 26 others bought of the Indians what is now Freetown, for a few old coats, rugs, iron pots, etc. including "one little kittle". In 1664 he purchased a large portion of land in Mattapoisett (Swansea). Henry was owner of the sixth lot in Freetown. However, his sons, John and Samuel, really became the actual settlers. 2

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